So, I'm willing to confess this: I like going to bars early. The earlier the better.
I've always abhorred velvet ropes and guest lists. But for many years after college I was willing to deal with cover charges, getting drinks spilled on me, toes stepped on, waiting 20 minutes for a bartender's attention and other ridiculous unpleasantries. Because it's just what you do. But as my 3rd decade comes to a close (that's right, right? because 30 technically marks the start of your 4th decade?) - anyway, I'm happy to admit that I will not deal with all that on a regular basis any more. But I still want to go out. My solution? Be the dork that gets to the bar early. Two cases in point:
This past weekend, I got to a bar way early - noon, to be exact. See, people don't mess around in LA on Cinco de Mayo. It's hard core. More than St. Pat's Day is here. So my bf, his roommate and I headed over to Baja Cantina in the Marina on foot around noon. We got a table outside in the glorious sun, we were served like normal people, and ate, drank, and people watched our little hearts out all afternoon. Now, granted, the problem with this is that I took a four hour nap at 4pm when we got home. But it still made for the easiest, most enjoyable Cinco de Mayo on record.
Two - tonight, since I was temporarily unemployed, I was able to meet a friend for dinner/drinks at 6pm. So we walked over to Red Rock on Sunset - which I haven't been to in over a year. I used to love Red Rock but it was the ultimate in crowded on the weekends, and the layout means a lot of spilling and tripping and sometimes falling down the stairs on the way back from the bathroom. So yeah, I stopped going regularly when I hit 25. But tonight, we got there at 6, had plenty of tables to choose from, had a super friendly waitress, got half price drinks (happy hour 5-7 there!) and were able to talk like normal people. And, if we had wanted, I'm sure we could have made "bar friends" with most of the other people there. People at bars are friendlier and more normal when you go early, at least based on my current un-scientific research.
So if you don't mind sacrificing some cool points and missing the 1-2am starlet arrivals, go early. And have more fun.
